Re: current status report at 20090204

[David Brownlee <abs%NetBSD.org@localhost>]

On Thu, 5 Feb 2009, KIYOHARA Takashi wrote:

> Hi! David,
>
> From: David Brownlee <abs%NetBSD.org@localhost>
> Date: Wed, 4 Feb 2009 16:54:53 +0000 (GMT)
>
> > On Wed, 4 Feb 2009, KIYOHARA Takashi wrote:
> >
> > >  + Xserver works on my bebox.
> > >
> > >     patchs:
> > >       ftp://ftp.netbsd.org/pub/NetBSD/misc/kiyohara/xserver/
> >
> >         Excellent stuff - are there any plans to get this into the main
> >         tree? Is it likely to break other ports?
>
> I have't plan to merge by myself.
> If you have bebox and test OK, then please commit.

        Unfortunately I don't have a BeBox, just a macppc box, so I can't
        help with the testing, just stand on the sidelines & cheer :)

> It is to influence only bebox and prep, perhaps.  Both were tested by
> me.  I am living to bebox and prep now.  Moreover, s3 864 is not tested
> with other machines. However, no one might use an old card.

        There seem to be a few more people with prep boxes, but I think
        adding an X server to a port, even it it might have a few issues
        left is a definite improvement :)

> > >       * But our kernel(GENERIC) is more large.  We support to boot only
> > >         floppy-disk.  You need to build for your customized tiny kernel
> > >          after patch.
> >
> >         Could bebox use the ustarfs boot which can span multiple floppies
> >         as used by i386/space/alpha etc?
>
> hmmm...
> BeBox's BootROM(firmware) reads only BeFS and Old-BeFS.  Also filename is
> kernel or kernel_joe.  Our kernel makes from 'boot+netbsd' image.

        Hmm, it would need to have a boot loader which would then
        load the kernel.  Just thinking alound here...

        Can a standalone BeBox binary call into the BootROM to load
        a file from a BeFS filesystem on a floppy? If so, you could
        write a boot loader binary to the first floppy, then split
        up the kernel and split it across that disk and as many
        other disks as needed. The boot loader would load the kernel
        parts into RAM and then jump into it. Still, quite a bit
        of effort....




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                David/absolute       -- www.NetBSD.org: No hype required --